Alaric's POV
I pushed through the kitchen door and stopped dead in my tracks. Zinnia Luna stood at the cooking station, that fiery red hair twisted up in her usual messy bun. Even after everything we'd been through, she still took my breath away. The war had sharpened her features, carved away the softness, but somehow made her even more beautiful than when this whole mess started. Nothing like that ice queen Vivienne.
Her hand floated over a huge pot, finger making lazy circles in the air. The wooden ladle below copied her movements, stirring on its own. Since breaking free from those damn restrictions, Zinnia couldn't get enough of the simple magic tricks. She felt me watching and looked up.
That soft smile hit me right in the chest.
"Hello, darling," she whispered.
